Video games aren't often "realistic" in the literal sense. They can have photorealistic graphics, tell a believable story, or use mechanics that try to mimic real life, but realism is typically more of a catchphrase than something you're truly going to experience while playing. That's kind of the point of video games, after all; they're an escape from the real, not a mimicry of it.

Some gamers prefer their games to be a bit goofy (just look at the success of a title like Fall Guys or even Fortnite) while others prefer the deeper and more challenging experience of playing something that adheres as closely to reality as possible. If you're in the latter group, these next games are for you. They're all great games on their own, but in one facet or many, they strive to be as realistic as possible while you're playing.

Red Dead Redemption 2

Some Might Say It's Too Focused On Realism

Red Dead Redemption 2 was a pretty major release, one of the biggest of 2018, and while many expected it to follow in GTA 5's more arcade-y footsteps, Rockstar instead leaned into realism. That rubbed a lot of gamers the wrong way. While many loved the game for its stunning narrative, world design, and gameplay, others found it too slow, with too much filler in between moments of excitement.

Love it or hate it, RDR2 definitely focuses on realism in a way that Rockstar never had before. Instead of your weapons being on you at all times, you could only carry two of them, while the rest were kept on your horse. Hunting didn't just involve shooting an animal, but shooting it with the right weapon, skinning it, and then transporting that skin to a trapper. Guns had to be cleaned and maintained, as did Arthur, whose beard and hair would grow to unruly proportions if he declined a visit to the barber. For some, it was one of the most immersive gameplay experiences ever created. For others, it was a drag.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2

It Doesn't Get More Medieval Than This

Most games involving swords, armor, and role-playing elements also involve magic, monsters, and world-ending stakes. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 avoids that second group entirely. It's a medieval RPG that sticks as close to true medieval life as possible. Set in 15th-century Bohemia, there are no magical weapons or powerful spells to uncover here, and only minor historical inaccuracies overall, but that doesn't mean the game isn't worth your while.

Instead, what you'll find are some of the deepest role-playing systems in the industry. Immersive sim elements litter the world, and your options for how to approach situations are virtually limitless, provided you have the stats and equipment to pull it off. Henry's armor will determine where he's welcome, depending on whose crest it bears. If he hasn't bathed recently, people are less likely to talk to him. Sword combat, meanwhile, is a delicate dance of directional blocks and attacks that is very tricky to nail down, but extremely satisfying to master. There are romance options, massive sieges to take part in, and an epic quest that is still gripping, even without an evil sorcerer to defeat.

The Long Dark

Winter Is A Harsh Bedfellow

Survival games are always leaning into realism to some degree, but even with that in mind, The Long Dark takes things even further. Set in northern Canada during the winter months, you don't just need to find food and shelter, but a consistent way to keep warm, all while avoiding predators who are particularly hungry now that their food source has frozen over.

That's just scratching the surface. You need to treat injuries, or they will slowly kill you, but you can also delay that demise by using less-than-ideal treatments if that's all you have on hand. Exploration is a double-edged sword. It can reward you with valuable supplies, but it's also a good way to get lost, hurt, or just burn through the supplies you already have. It's not breaking the mold as far as survival games go, but when it comes to realism, The Long Dark isn't screwing around.

Pacific Drive

The Most Detailed Car In Any Survival Game

You're probably wondering what the hell Pacific Drive is doing here, so let's just get the disclaimer out of the way. No, the world of Pacific Drive isn't particularly realistic. You'll encounter strange, pseudo-mechanical enemies, physically impossible anomalies, and a constantly shifting environment that you need to navigate. We're not arguing that these things are realistic at all, but what is realistic is the tool you use to traverse the world.

Pacific Drive features an incredibly detailed car that acts as both your safe haven while exploring and your main mode of transportation. The thing is, it's fully realized. You need to start the car before it can run, and put it in gear before it will move anywhere. If you don't close your door or trunk after loading up some quality loot, it will spill out behind you as you drive away. Your tires will puncture on sharp objects, your handling will struggle on rough terrain, and even your windshield wipers are important to help you see in the rain. Because of this, as you become accustomed to your car, the ins and outs become second nature, and you grow attached to the vehicle. It's your only companion during long and dangerous treks, and that's a special and unique bond that few games capture this well.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024

Fully Simulates The Entire Planet

It's hard to think of a game more focused on realism than one that literally renders the entire planet for you to explore. That's what's on offer in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. You can fly basically anywhere on Earth, from major cities to remote tropical locations, and while they aren't so detailed that you can hop out and wander down your home street, you can still see your house from the air.

That realism extends to controlling the aircraft themselves, something this series has been known for since its heyday. This time around, the variety of aircraft on offer has been greatly expanded. Not only can you fly every kind of plane, from a jumbo jet to a seaplane, but now there's also the option to fly a helicopter, a stunt plane, a hot air balloon, and more. They all feature true-to-life controls and handling that make MFS2024 feel as authentic as possible.

Ready Or Not

More Than Just A Shooter

While it might look like another tactical first-person shooter on the surface, Ready or Not has a lot more under the hood than just running and gunning. This is a game that prides itself on making its players think under pressure, and while you can just go in guns blazing, you and your team will be awarded a worse score for your work when it's all said and done.

Instead, you're encouraged to take enemies alive by getting them to surrender before the bullets start flying. That's easier said than done. Hostage situations, hidden enemies, and trickery are all at play here. You also die very quickly, which means making the wrong call or a hasty decision can backfire in an instant. That said, there's a lot of satisfaction in pulling off a mission without killing anyone. That's what makes Ready or Not so unique in the shooter space, because it doesn't just want you to pull the trigger, it wants you to think about ways you can avoid doing so first.

Green Hell

Hardcore Survival, Even For Hardcore Survival Fans

We already talked about The Long Dark being a pretty hardcore survival game, but even that pales in comparison to what's expected of players in Green Hell. Lost in the Amazon Rainforest, you have to do all the usual survival game stuff — build shelter, craft tools, find food and medicine, etc. — but to a much more detailed degree.

You aren't just expected to eat, but you need to actually manage the calories you intake, which means keeping track of the kinds of food you eat. The same goes for water. Not all of it is drinkable straight from the source, and you can get sick if you drink something untreated. Meanwhile, you can catch a disease or just die from a spider bite by wandering into the wrong cluster of trees. Green Hell is brutally unforgiving, but it rewards meticulous attention to detail while under pressure, something that not everyone has in them, especially if they're the type who play games to relax.

Euro Truck Simulator 2

Relaxing Realism

Speaking of relaxing, Euro Truck Simulator 2 is the kind of realistic game that is designed to be as easy-going as possible. The line of where "realism" starts and stops here is pretty thin. For example, managing your truck, driving the European highways, and avoiding delays while making your deliveries are all pretty realistic.

Those elements go away a little bit when it comes to things like crashes. While in real life, a car crash involving a semi truck on a highway is a devastating occurrence, in Euro Truck Simulator 2, the cars just kind of bounce off. Sure, it's still better to avoid accidents altogether, but the game isn't here to punish you for making a mistake (something that other games on this list are more than happy to indulge in). Instead, it just wants you to have a nice, relaxing time on your journey from point A to point B. Take in the sights, listen to some music, and just enjoy the experience.